{"id":13027,"date":"2023-10-11T17:35:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T16:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=13027"},"modified":"2023-10-11T17:35:02","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T16:35:02","slug":"is-the-mississippi-river-closed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/is-the-mississippi-river-closed\/","title":{"rendered":"Is The Mississippi River Closed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Mississippi River is an integral part of the ecology, culture, and history of the United States, as it serves as a major transportation route for goods, industry, and people. But it has recently stirred a big controversy concerning its shut down. Earlier in 2020, environmentalists have proposed to close the Mississippi River in order to preserve its biodiversity, decrease the population of commercial vessels and tourist barges, and to protect the river’s fragile ecosystem. Signs of this proposal have caused huge debates to break out, as some are adamantly against the closure, while others are pressing for its implementation.<\/p>\n

On the other side, opponents of the complete closure of the Mississippi River assert that the move might have severe implications, as industries and fishermen heavily rely on this river. While tourism is a flourishing industry that heavily depends on the river’s dynamics, the unemployment rate due to a complete shut down would skyrocket and the typical way of living for all living things within the river, would be drastically affected.<\/p>\n

Experts argue that closing the Mississippi River would be relatively hard to implement and it might cost the government more money than necessary due to the restoration of the area after the closure is terminated. On the other hand, spending money towards the preservation of this important natural resource is a worthy cause for all involved parties. Since the river is a great source of freshwater and many plants and animals use it for their habitat, closing the Mississippi River could guarantee conservation on the long-term.<\/p>\n

However, others have suggested the potential of a partial shutdown, which might be the optimal solution. By closing specific parts of the river, the government would be able to prevent the influx of vessels while simultaneously preserving the ability of fishermen and industry to benefit from the river. A partial closure also carries less of a financial burden, which makes it a viable option.<\/p>\n